Transition from continuum to damage: a B.E. approach

In the present paper an integrated strategy for the simulation of damage development and crack propagation in concrete structures is proposed. In the initial stage of damage growth, concrete is considered macroscopically integer and it is modelled by an isotropic damage model. The transition to the discrete crack model is led by the distribution of the damage parameter. When a macro-crack is introduced in the model a dual integral approach is used to follow the propagation path